Introduction to Wigs and Hair Pieces

In this unit, we are going to be looking at how someones physical appearance changes throughout characters. This is done through, hair, makeup and costume. The main thing that noticeably changes someone appearance is their hair. In TV, film ad theatre it isn't possible to dye or cut the characters hair for every change of scene, this is why wigs are used. They are very popular in theatre as they are easy to quickly change the appearance of a character between scene changes. There are extra pieces of postiche that can be added to a wig or to the natural hair when a wig is not necessary. 

Keywords:

• Bandeaux wigs or cape wiglets - can be knotted or wefted postiche. This kind of hairpiece is used in turning a short hairstyle into a long one. It is held in position by a band, leaving the real front hair showing. 
• Chignons - knotted or wefted postiche, worn between the crown and neck. They are good for adding fullness, height and shape.
• Double-loop clusters - wefted postiche made by winding and sewing into cord and finished with loos at each end. They are attached to the head with sewn-on combs and used to provide a cluster of curls. 
• Fringes or frontal pieces - wefted or knotted postiche, used on the front of the head.
• Hidden comb - a bunch of curls attached to a hidden comb. The technique is also known as top knots. These may be knotted pieces, but are usually wefted. 
• Marteaux - pieces of weft folded together. They are attached to the hair by means of combs or sewn loops. They are useful for adding a wave when required. 
• Pincurls - small pieces of weft sewn into various curl shapes. They are useful in adding to the hairstyle when dressed. 
• Ringlets - larger curls, also used for dressing into a finished style.
• Semi-transformations - smaller pieces, also used to add length to the existing hair.
• Swathes - made from two marteaux, sewn end to end. They are used for encircling the head.
• Switches - lengths of weft wound spirally around tailcord. They can be coiled, plaited and twisted and used in a variety of ways. 
• Torsades - coiled pieces of postiche. They look attractive when addd to the hair.
• Toupees - knotted headpieces, made to cover bald areas of the head. They are extensively used in TV and film on male actors and chosen to match natural hair.
• Transformations - hairpieces, either wefted or knotted, worn to add length or bulk to the existing hair. They are often used on men for period work.
• Wigs - the largest postiche items, covering the entire head of the hair.

Information from: https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=KxJ9rmrC0aEC&pg=PT170&lpg=PT170&dq=what+is+a+cluster+postiche&source=bl&ots=PjZcCOfWGb&sig=M5on5z5JsD5-XPNsWge_S-Noxas&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjUp_3B27jJAhVEvhQKHWZ2AUEQ6AEIHzAA#v=onepage&q=what%20is%20a%20cluster%20postiche&f=false


Hair Pieces:

• Switch - A type of hair piece which can be made as either one-stem, two-stem and three-stem. 
• Cluster - Used for spreading the hair out more.
• Weft - A woven strip of hair which can be used to make hair pieces or clips can be attached and the hair pieces clipped straight into the hair like extensions. 

Information from: http://cdn.cityandguilds.com/ProductDocuments/Beauty_and_Complementary_Therapies/Beauty/3003/3003_Level_3/Additional_documents/Downloadable_logbook_units/3003-335_L3_Logbook_downloadable_unit_v1.pdf

How to Create Anchor Points:

Anchor points are really important when it comes to applying a wig. They are what keeps the wig in place and from falling off, coming loose. When you create anchor points, the wig will be secured to them, meaning it is very important in terms of placement. You will need to remember exactly where you have pinned the wig, especially if you are working in theatre and your actor needs to change character.

Equipment:

• Pintail comb
• Grips
• Paddle brush

Steps:

1. Split hair down the middle.
2. Take a square section of hair and wrap around 2 fingers to create a spiral.
3. Take two grips and cross them over to secure to the head.
4. Repeat around the hairline, on top the head and behind the ears. 
5. Wrap the remaining middle section of hair into one big pin curl.

Applying Hair Pieces:

Create your anchor points using the steps above. Once they have been created, take your hair piece and pin it to the anchor points to keep it in place. You can then, if necessary, use the models natural hair to cover the hair piece to help it blend naturally.

Demo

My attempt

I am really happy with how this turned out. I chose a hair piece that best matched my models hair colour, however it was a short piece of hair. I didn't really know where to apply it so I decided to put the top section of her hair up and apply the hair piece to that. Although it is shorter than her natural hair, I am really pleased with how I attached it and how it looks. I am really looking forward to learning more and creating more hairstyles like this!